Truck for handling electric refrigerators and the like



J. B. ROBINS TRUCK FOR HANDLING ELECTRIC REFRIGERATORS AND THE LIKEFlled Dec 17 1946 Oct. 5, 1943.

INVENTOR J ACK a Row us ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 5, 1948 TRUCK FORHANDLING ELECTRIC REFRIGERATORS AND THE LIKE Jack B. Robins, ColoradoSprings, Colo., assignor to Aircraft Mechanics Inc., Colorado 0010., acorporation of Colorado Springs,

Application December 17, lQ lGQ Seria'INoQ 7116.725

- This invention relates to improvements in trucks of the type used inwarehouse and stores and has reference more particularly to a truckdesigned with special reference to the handling of electricrefrigerators and other similar articles such as boxes or cases of acorresponding size.

In stores and warehouses where electric refrigerator are sold andstored, it is frequently necessary to change their locations and totransport them from the store to a loading platform and onto a truck,afterthey have been sold.

Automatic refrigerators, whether electric or the gas operated type, arequite massive and heavy and unless some special trucks are provided forhandling them, it requires the combined efforts of several men to move,load and unload them.

It i the object of this invention to produce a truck which has beendesigned with special reference to the handling of refrigerators asabove, but which is equally applicable to the handling of many otherarticles, which shall be of a sim ple and substantial construction andof such design that it may be readily positioned in operative engagementwith the article to be handled.

In order to simplify the description, the article with which the truckis to be employed will, hereinafter, be referred to as electricrefrigerators," it being understood, however, that the application isnot limited in any way to the handling of this specific article.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a truck that shallbe provided with wheels so connected therewith that the wheels may bemoved to inoperative position during the loading and unloading of therefrigerator and which can be readily moved into floor engagement oroperative position by means of a handle.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a wheel controlmechanism of such construction that the handle by mean of which thewheels are moved from inoperative position to operative position willautomatically release itself from the Wheel operating member sothat thehandle may be used in moving and controlling the loaded truck.

A further object of the invention is to produce a truck comprising twosubstantially identical units of such design that they can be connectedeach with one of the opposite sides of a refrigerator and strapped intoposition by mean of suitable straps or other tension elements.

Another object of the invention is to produce a truck of the classdescribed in which the wheel operating mechanism, after the wheels havebeen 3 Claims. (Cl; 280%44) :7

' brought into engagement withthe supporting surface, will remain "inwhat may 'be termed an "ovrset position so as to prevent accidentalreturn movement of the wheels until the operator employs for thatpurpose the handle and releaslng mechanism. 1

'Theabove and other objects that may become apparent .as thisdescription proceeds are attained by means of a construction andanarrangement of partsthat will now be described in detail, and forthisspurpose. reference .will be had to theaccompanying drawing in whichthe invention 'has been illustrated, and in' which:

Figure .1 is a perspectiveview showing the. two parts of the truck inoperative relation, .the poi sition"v of the electric refrigerator hasbeen indicated by broken lines;

, Figure, 2 is aside elevation to ajsomewhati enlargediscale, ofthehandle hinge and wheel controlling mechanism; I F.'igur.e, 3 is a viewlooking in the direction of. arrow-3,in Figure'2; j V

Figure 4 is akview showing the position of the handle and'associatepartsat the beginning of the wheel releasing movement; and f f I Figures 5,and :6 show a slightly modified CD11! struction. 3 l g i f The truckwhich forms the subject, of this invention is formed from two separateelementsof such construction that they ,cooperateto'accomplish thefunction for Which the invention is intended". Thetwotruck elementswill'now be described. c {The truck element to the right in 1 Figure 1consists of an elongated pipe frame having two spacedg ara'llelverticalmembers l0 connected at their upper 'ends by means ofatransversejtop member; H, Attheir'lower end members l0 are connected bymeans of a flat bar IZ 'that may be integral with the bottom plate I3,if desired, but which nay also be formed from an independent element.Triangular plates IA have their vertical edges welded-to the sidemembers It] asindicated at-I5 and may beeither welded onsecured to barl2 soas'to form a rigid brace for the truclg frame andso as to secureplate l3 firmly-in-position. The oppositetruck element ha s a framesubstantially identical with the one described and the correspondingelements theref-have been designated by the-same reference numerals.outwardly extending plates l6 'are welded to the vertical frame membersIll aszshown at If! andare'each provided withan opening for h e piieeq apivot 8 an t an a cu 51 i ii e is. iwe t cwi 'pivo 51. Atax a along thearcuate slot for.anpurpose whlchnwilli presently be explained.

Referring now to Figure 1 and to the-truchelement to the right thereof;it wil1- .be observed;-

that each of the side frame members ID are pro- Hi. This member hasbeen.

vided near their lower ends with an outwardly extending plate 24 towhich a link is connected vamcehss fra; pivot t. Axle 2;] arries at eachend a, ru]oloe1;'- tired wheel 12 8 land the ends of axle 21':terminate;in-openinesin 1inks 25:- .Rod 29 eXtendsth-roueh: slots 1 [9;and through openings in- -th e endsof links 38:. Vertical paralle1 rods3! connect rod 29 with shaft 2]asshown ln-Figure 1 and the. rectanglethus. formed ismade, rigid by; means of; diagonal braces .32. Secured toeach fiattenedendzmember; by means; of. pivots 33 arehandleseahwhose..ends 35., ahovethe pivot, are a inclined in .themannershown .in Figure 2. After the links 3 0." haveloeen; movedinto .theposition shownin 'Figurez. in which position thewheelshave-movedldownwardly acorresponding distance and raised. :thetruckframafrom the floor surface, members-6 I. and link 301iorm an.overset: tog l that automatically holds the wheels inoperativeposition-until they are-released: Handle-20;:may now: be movedupwardlyor downwardly through a considerable angle, the upward movementbeing limited :hyhooks 23 engaging rod 292 Thedownward movement is notlimited unlessihe operator manipulates-handle -34 to bring it -=into thepositinnlshown .in Figure 4.in which position theend 35 abuts the rod"29 and on a. downward movement of handle lfl; the toggle is:brokenandthe truck frame is permitted to descend towards the positionshown-in Figured. The rate at which the-downward movement takesplace-can be-controlled 1 because i hooks. 23: control the mo-vementof-bar 1-9 The truck onthe -left side inFig-ure 1 is-constructed insubstantially the same manner, but instead of -having two wheels 28; ithas a single casterwheek 36 that/is mountedto i turn about the: verticalpivot 31; Pivot 31' turns in a bearing 38 -that extends forwardly ofand-is connected Withbap-ZT. Bearing 38 is-also 'providedwi-thrawrearwardly extending portion 39; Instead of the d-iagonal braces3-2-shown hr the right hand truck, the wheel controlling-frame for thetruck at -the-left hasinclined brace members-32a from which other bracemembers 40' extend to the rear end -ofbearing portion 39. This gives asnbstam tial bracing-effectand keeps-the pivot-31 in-ver ticalpositionat all-times. The-verticalmovemen-tot caster wheel 36 iscontrolled-byhandle 20- in-the same manner as thatex-plained inconnection-w-i-thwheels 28-. The vertical frame memhers 'I ware-provided with'loops- 4!*near their tops and bottoms andtheseare-"connected by straps42-that-have buckles43;

When aheavy object, like an electric refrig erator is to be moved,thetwo sections; aredisconnected'bydisconnecting-"the straps-42; One

of the sections is then brought up into closed contact with therefrigerator and the latter is tilted suihciently to permit plate It toenter between the bottom thereof and the floor after which therefrigerator is released. The other truck section is then brought upagainst the oppositeside and the refrigerator tilted slightly so astcpermit plate I3 to enter underneath. The two truck sections are theninterconnected by means of straps 42 and with their load moved upwardlyrelative to wheels 28 and 36 into load supporting position by the meansand in the manner above described, which raises plates l3 from 'thefioor, the operator can now move the refrigeratoryeryyea-sily; either bypulling one or pushing on one of the handles 20. If any lifting isreguiredgthe force can be exerted on the handies because the are limitedin their upward movement by hooks 23, engaging bars 29. The refrigeratorcan be retained in the truck during transportationirom the-storeto-.'the purchasers place and by: simply releasing: the wheels the truckand refrigerator will be supported solidly fromthe truck floor. Thewheels can'readily be moved'into supportingrposition in the mannerdescribed and the refrigerator removed by running it down over a plankincline. 'Thetruclrwith its load cant-hen be moved over' the side walkand over floors until it reaches its: proper 'position, whereupon thestraps ll are disconnected and the truck sections removed: 7

Particular attention is directed-to the construction of the handles andthemechanism by means of which the wheels are brought intoloadsupporting position and held in' th-at position by the clfset toggleand from which position they -can be released by means of handles 20 and34-:

Figures 5 and a 6 show a construction-in which links 25 and 3Il-havebeen-dispensed with; Since slot i9 is curved ab'out the center ofpivot pin 29 it will follow the same pathwhether-linl-:-'3ll is presentor not. Since li-nks- 25 merely function as guides and since theessentialthing isto move the load-upwardly relative towheelszilelongated guideslots-25a cantake the-placeof links 252,

Havingdescri-b'ed the" invention; what; is claimedas new is-z- 1. Atruck comprising an elongated' frame closedyat the top and open at; thebottom; a load supporting 'plateconnecting the lower; ends andprojecting laterallytherefrom, anaxle positioned nearthebottom of theframe, at-least* one wheel carried "by the axle, means cormectingtheaxle with the frame to permit'it to move alimited distance-in thedirection-of the f-ramc; a; handle pivoted to the frame at apointabovethe axle, a pusher frameconnected at-its-lowerend with the axle,the upper end of *thepns'herframe "having a transversebar, m-eansconstraining thebar to move in an arcuate path substantially corncentric with the pivot handle, means comprisinga portion ofthe-handlefor' rnoving;the-her ina downwarddi'recticn; means -for--holdingthe "bar in its lowermost position; and means comprisin'gyalever-pivoted to the handle -for-engagingjthe bar to move it from itslowermost teahigher-position.

A truck for transporting electric refrigera torsand the like, comprisingtwo vertically elongated frames, supporting plates projectinglaterally-from the lower ends--df *the frames, one of the frames having;a transverse a-xle connected therewithfor-'limitedmovement in; avertical direction, two" spaced wheels carried bythe j axlefor-rotationab'out*its a handleof-'substantially-Ushape-havingthe-endscf-its sides pivotally connected with the frame,means for raising the frame by moving the supporting wheels downwardlyrelative thereto by an upward rotation of the handle about its pivots,means for latching the frame in elevated position, means on the handlefor releasing the latch by a downward rotation of the handle, means forinterconnecting the two frames, one on each side of a refrigerator, anda caster wheel on the other frame, adapted to ex tend below thesupporting plate, whereby the refrigerator will be supported by saidwheels for transportation.

3. A truck for transporting refrigerators and the like, comprising anelongated frame having two upwardly ranging frame members connected attheir upper ends, a forwardly projecting supporting plate attached tothe lower ends of the frame, an axle extending transversely of the framenear its lower end, means for attaching the axle to the frame to permitit to move a limited distance in the direction of the length of theframe, each frame member having a rearwardly extending plate attachedthereto at a point above the axle, the plates having each an opening forthe reception of a pivot, and an armate slot concentric with theopening, a handle of substantial U-shape having the ends of its sidesflattened and connected with the rearwardly extending plates by pivots,each flattened end of the handle having a hook portion extending acrossthe arcuate slot, a bar having its ends projecting through the arcuateopenings, a link connecting each end of the bar with the adjacent pivot,a pusher frame connecting the bar with the axle, the hooks at the endsof the handle engaging the bar when the handle is rotated upwardly aboutits pivots, the pusher frame and links being positioned to form anoverset toggle when the handle is in vertical position, and meanscomprising a lever pivoted to each side arm of the handle for engagingthe bar to move the toggle to underset position, the hooks and handlesserving as means to control the rate of downward movement of the frame.

JACK B. ROBINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Sohn Oct. 14, 1941

